Surprised Ever After

Ch. 14: Unwelcome Feeling

Charlotte

I literally forget to close my mouth, letting my jaw hang open as I see Chadrick in his pink shirt, white pants, and yellow hat. He looks like a part of the colorful balloons attached to the ice cream cart. Emily said that the dessert had been taken care of when I offered to bring some, but this was not what I expected at all. Though it's a brilliant idea.

"Is he out of his mind?" Ashton mumbles.

I laugh at his remark, knowing that he and Chadrick are different, but not this different. I can see Dickson do this silly thing for his sister, but not Chadrick. "Maybe he lost a bet or–" My line halts when I see a red-haired woman entering the garden hugging a rose bouquet.

She's stunning, like, drop-dead gorgeous. I bet she's younger than me, but not by much. We probably have the same height, but instead of being slender and skinny like me, she has all the curves that make people wonder how they look with no garments on. If she introduced herself as a model for underwear or bikinis, I would believe her in a heartbeat. Her latte skin is almost shiny under the sunlight, and her plump lips are a killer.

Women tend to develop a rivalry instinct when they see others who are prettier, but I don't have time to feel competitive because I'm admiring her right now. She's also wearing the same outfit as Chadrick's, only tighter, and when a handsome young man in the same uniform appears and jogs toward her with a huge white box in his hands, I assume they're the ice cream business owners.

"Ah. That explains," Ashton finally says, probably admiring her beauty as well.

"He's not out of his mind, after all." I shake my head when Dickson and Edward stop whatever they do to gawk at her. "Let's say hi."

We're deliberately dropping the important issue we were discussing before Chadrick's grand entrance, but what's the point of dwelling on the same topic that Ashton doesn't even think matters? Plus, who am I to fix his problem with the rest of the Knights? I don't want to receive the same pushback as the last time. So, I prefer to swallow my worries and let it go for now.

Emily's patio is bigger and cozier than her dining room, which shows how important the space is for her. She's built a retractable glass roof and walls in case she wants to use it during cold days or in bad weather. But today, it has turned into an open space, as if it's an extension to her back garden.

With a smile on my face, I stride to the crowd with Ashton in tow. While the adults are flocking around the shiny newcomer, the girls are hovering over the cart, examining every detail of the accessories, or probably taking a peek at what lies inside. Emily scoots to the side when the woman's eyes catch me and Ashton. They're brown like mine.

"This is Ashton, my brother — I'm sure his face is familiar because, you know, he's the famous one. And this is Charlie, his girlfriend."

The woman brings her arm forward and shakes Ashton's hand first, then mine. "I'm Sunny, and this is my younger brother, Blaze. We're from the Kismo's ice parlors downtown. It's an honor to be presenting our family recipes on Mrs. Emily Knight's special day." She turns to Chadrick, who is still sitting on the bike's saddle, watching us interact. "I was so ecstatic when Chadrick offered the opportunity."

So, they're already on a first-name basis. Are they friends? Friends with benefits? Despite our daily dose of time working on our projects and developing friendships, I never heard him talk about the ice cream girl; a girl that he's willing to help connect with his people. She must be important to him. A slight uneasiness grows in the pit of my stomach, but I ignore it. I'm probably just used to his companion and forget he has a life outside work.

"Sunny is a pretty name," I say, smiling at her.

"Thank you, but it's actually a nickname. My name is Sunshine," she replies and laughs. "It's ridiculous, I know."